Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

I did not have high expectations for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...as in zip--zero--nada--didn't even want to go there. I thought it was only for dodging the backpacker life and it wasn't 'real' adventure. But Christian was dead set on visiting this first class city...for the very reason that I didn't want to go there, but he described it in different words: 'it's a chance to have a little break from the road and enjoy sidewalks again...sidewalks!!', he said.

Being that we had to fly to Kuala Lumpur from Bali and Christian was dying to see some of the high-tech stuff in KL (and now he's dying to go to Korea and Japan!), we stopped over in the city for a few days.

Wow was I surprised. Maybe it was that my expectations were low to begin with, maybe it was that the Petronas Towers at night were more breathtaking than I originally thought or maybe it was the Christmas decorations and multitude of shops in the fancy mall underneath the Towers. But I was definitely enjoying being back in the first world again...walking through the perfume section of department stores...eating Southwestern eggrolls at Chili's (ya we did that...in a country that is famed for food...we were those 'tourists')...riding the metro back and forth. It felt good.

Christian was on the nerd-version of Cloud 9: in one of the biggest tech malls in KL (in all of Asia!), Christian whistled and smiled as he wandered into one store and out the next...then he splurged and bought a Kratos figurine (some gaming thing) for his future Man Cave. Pfff.

Anyway, we did get our fix of culture. Turns it we picked just the right weekend to visit KL since there was an annual street food festival going on. Just a short stroll from metro stop Bukit Bintang, we returned for dinner both nights of the festival. Won Ton Soup (both nights!), Chili Shrimp, Mie Goreng, mini Japanese pancakes...all underneath Chinese lanterns zigzagging back and forth over the street. And it's true, the food in Malaysia did not disappoint.

So, would we do a quick stopover in KL again? Absolutely! And we already are, we'll be going back to KL for the Future Music Festival Asia in March...and I'm sure we'll squeeze in a wander around the Petronas Tower again...ok and the mall too.

HOSTEL TIP

*Suzie's Guesthouse was exactly what the reviews said it was: home-y and friendly! One night we just lounged indoors and chatted to some Norwegians. And the staff were so sweet! It's just around the corner from a metro stop, one stop again from KL Sentral and right in Chinatown.

{Christian in Tech Heaven at one of the biggest tech malls in Asia}

{Half day trip to Batu Caves--direct train from KL Sentral}